Yesterday’s Activities: 
There was heavy public use of the Rock Creek Road on Sunday, including sightseers and people fishing.  Wyman 2 Fire (35,528 acres): Crews continued to improve line and mop-up along the perimeter closest to Skalkaho Road; additional crews patrolled Rock Creek and Stony Creek Roads.  Fisher Point (15,011 acres): Crews continued working on direct line construction on the north and south flanks nearest Willow Creek Road by the private land.  Sawmill Fire (11,818 acres):  Crews provided protection at critical points along Rock Creek Road.

Weather and Fire Behavior Forecast for Today: 
A weak cold front is passing through Montana.  This will be followed by several days of warmer and drier weather. Nighttime temperatures will be colder under the clear skies.  Highs are expected to be 70 to 78 in the valleys and 62 to 69 at higher elevations.  Ridgetop winds will be out of the south at 3 to 6, then shifting to west at 5 to 10 mph with gusts to 15 mph.

Today’s Planned Actions: 
Crews will continue to patrol, mop-up, provide point protection, and use direct line construction. Numerous pieces of heavy equipment, overhead, support personnel and additional unneeded resources are being demobilized.

Special Notices, Alerts, Restrictions & Evacuation Levels:
Access is open for driving Rock Creek Road, fishing in Rock Creek, and camping in developed campgrounds and designated dispersed areas between the Rock Creek Road and Rock Creek only.  The rest of the area closure remains in effect.  Willow Creek Road remains closed to all but residential traffic.  Roads in the Stony Creek area remain closed due to ongoing firefighting activities.  Hunting, camping, hiking, campfires, and other recreational uses are prohibited within the area closure.
Snags are falling within the burned areas.  Live and dead trees affected by the fire are also falling near the fire’s perimeter. This has created a serious hazard for anyone who is on the roads and in opened areas.  Be aware that falling trees come down without warning.  Please be cautious.

Upper Willow Creek Road (Granite County) is open to residents only.  Roads in the Stony Creek area remain closed due to firefighting activities in the area.

Area closures on the Lolo, Beaverhead-Deerlodge, and Bitterroot National Forests remain in effect because of fire activity. Access is open for driving the Rock Creek Road and fishing in Rock Creek only.  Hunting, camping, hiking, campfires, and other recreational uses are prohibited.

All persons driving through this area are reminded that fire traffic, including large trucks, will be continuing to use this road for fire access.  Drive slowly and watch for people along the roads.  Entry into all burned areas is still restricted to firefighters.  The fires have damaged the roots of many trees and have burned the roots of plants that help anchor the rocks and soil.  Watch for falling trees and rolling rocks. 

Rock Creek and Upper Willow Creek residents remain on notice for the possibility of an evacuation if fire conditions change significantly.

Complex Wide: Fire activity was minimal yesterday.  Despite lower humidity and some gusty winds, the fires showed few pockets of active burning.  Members of Tom Heintz’s Type 2 Incident Management Team arrived Friday and began working alongside their counterparts in Don Angell’s team. Heintz’s team took charge of the fire this morning. Fire activity is expected to stay moderate through the weekend, with cool temperatures and less gusty winds.  There are still areas where fuel accumulations and heat remain.  Single tree torching and short uphill runs are possible. 

Fisher Point Fire (15,010 acres, date of origin 7/28/07) had minimal fire activity Friday. Fire personnel will continue mopping up hot areas near the fire perimeter along the southeast edge of the fire and by Upper Willow Creek Road. 

Wyman 2 Fire (35,528 acres, date of origin 7/29/07) had minimal activity on Friday, even in the area north of Skalkaho Pass. The Helena and Idaho Panhandle Hotshot crews will continue working on extinguishing hot areas near the fire edge in the Skalkaho Pass area, assisted by two engines.  Crews will continue to monitor and patrol along Rock Creek and the lower part of Stony Creek. 

Sawmill Fire (11,818 acres, date of origin 7/15/07) was quiet. Helicopters dropped water on some of the remaining hot areas on remote parts of this fire, while crews continued to monitor and patrol west of Rock Creek.  Similar activities are expected today.

Sawmill Complex Statistics at a Glance:

* Date Complex Formed:  July 31, 2007
* Location: 22 miles southeast of Missoula MT
* Cause: Lightning
* Fuels: Timber, litter, and grass
* Size: 62,649 acres
* Containment: 30%
* Cost:  $18,500,000
* Resources:  Crews - 4; Helicopters - 4; Engines - 15; Personnel - 302

The Skalkaho Road is not currently being affected by road closures. 

The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest has closed portions of the Goose Gulch Rd. #4325, Otter Creek Rd. #8419, Miners Gulch Rd. #5156, and Upper Willow Creek Rd. (Granite County) #88. These roads are closed to all motorized vehicles, foot, bicycle, and horse activities for public safety due to fire activity. 

The Bitterroot National Forest has closed Trail #313 (Sapphire Divide) from the Skalkaho road to Sawmill Saddle.

Attention Hunters: Additional sections of the Lolo, Beaverhead-Deerlodge, and Bitterrroot National Forest have been closed due to the current fire activity. Please check the National Forests’ websites for the most up-to-date closures before proceeding to traditional hunting spots.

Lolo NF: http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/lolo/

Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF: http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/b-d/

Bitterroot NF: http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/bitterroot/

Area closures on the Lolo, Beaverhead-Deerlodge, and Bitterroot National Forests remain in effect because of fire activity. 

Rock Creek and Upper Willow Creek residents remain on a short notice for evacuation if fire conditions change significantly.

Upper Willow Creek road (Granite County) is open to residents only. Roads in the Stony Creek area remains closed because firefighters are working in the area.

Complex Wide: Fire activity was again quiet today.  Cool temperatures and high humidity contributed to reduced activity. Members of Tom Heintz’s Type 2 Incident Management Team arrived Friday and began working alongside their counterparts in Don Angell’s team. Heintz’s team takes charge of the fire Saturday morning. 

Fisher Point Fire (14,997 acres, date of origin 7/28/07) had minimal fire activity Thursday. Fire personnel will continue mopping up hot areas along the fire perimeter near Upper Willow Creek Road. 

Wyman 2 Fire (35,393 acres, date of origin 7/29/07) had minimal activity, even in the area north of Skalkaho Pass that had been active Tuesday and Wednesday.  The Helena Hotshots scouted the area Thursday to prepare for fireline construction planned Friday. The Helena and Idaho Panhandle Hotshots will be working in the area, assisted by two engines.  Crews will continue to monitor and patrol along Rock Creek and the lower part of Stony Creek. 

Sawmill Fire (11,811 acres, date of origin 7/15/07) was quiet. Crews continued to monitor and patrol west of Rock Creek.

Sawmill Complex Statistics at a Glance:

* Date Complex Formed:  July 31, 2007
* Location: 22 miles southeast of Missoula MT
* Cause: Lightning
* Fuels: Timber, litter, and grass
* Size: 62,494 acres
* Containment: 24%
* Cost:  $18,400,000
* Resources:  Crews - 4; Helicopters - 4; Engines - 15; Personnel - 302

On Saturday, Tom Heintz’s Type 2 Team will replace Don Angell’s team. 

The Skalkaho Road is not currently being affected by road closures. 

Due to water conditions and fire operations, Rock Creek is closed to fishing from the Skalkaho Highway Bridge to the Clark Fork River. 

The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest has closed portions of the Goose Gulch Rd. #4325, Otter Creek Rd. #8419, Miners Gulch Rd. #5156, and Upper Willow Creek Rd. (Granite County) #88. These roads are closed to all motorized vehicles, foot, bicycle, and horse activities for public safety due to fire activity. 

The Bitterroot National Forest has closed Trail #313 (Sapphire Divide) from the Skalkaho road to Sawmill Saddle.

Attention Hunters: Additional sections of the Lolo, Beaverhead-Deerlodge, and Bitterrroot National Forest have been closed due to the current fire activity. Please check the National Forests’ websites for the most up-to-date closures before proceeding to traditional hunting spots.

Lolo NF: http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/lolo/

Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF: http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/b-d/

Bitterroot NF: http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/bitterroot/

Editor’s note: As part of our fire coverage, NewWest.Net is posting here the email updates and press releases we get directly from fire camps as we get them. These do not replace our ongoing full coverage of the fires at www.newwest.net/fire, but supplement the information you get throughout the day with the updates we get throughout the day. We aim to give you all the information we get and here it is in its “unfiltered” form. For full stories, check back often at www.newwest.net/fire and continue to look for these updates from fire camps in the link box on the right-hand side of the page.

Crews have already mopped-up within 100 feet inside the perimeter of the fire and have laid hose line on some portions of the fire perimeter to douse hot spots and respond to spotting as needed. Cooler temperatures have aided firefighters over the last several days. The fire started Sunday afternoon and quickly spread in timber and slash. Crews and dozer operators worked through the night to build fire line and by Monday the entire perimeter was lined. The cause of the fire is undetermined.

The fire is near the Quartz Flat Campground off of Interstate 90, about 25 miles southeast of St. Regis. There are no structures threatened by the fire and a Type III organization from the Lolo National Forest is managing the fire. Traffic on Interstate 90 is not restricted because of the fire, though the Forest Grove boat launch near interstate 90 is closed for public safety.

Resources currently on the fire include:
Four crews (including two Type I crews)
One dozer
Six engines

Editor’s note: As part of our fire coverage, NewWest.Net is posting here the email updates and press releases we get directly from fire camps as we get them. These do not replace our ongoing full coverage of the fires at www.newwest.net/fire, but supplement the information you get throughout the day with the updates we get throughout the day. We aim to give you all the information we get and here it is in its “unfiltered” form. For full stories, check back often at www.newwest.net/fire and continue to look for these updates from fire camps in the link box on the right-hand side of the page.

36,060 acres
95% contained
$26,977,034 costs
219 personnel

WHAT’S NEW & EVENTS:
Incident Commander Mike Wiederhold (Type 3 team) assumed command of the fire yesterday, with tasks focusing on suppression and rehabilitation.  Mop-up activities continued simultaneously as “Rehab” (rehabilitation) crews began softening the impacts of dozer lines and internal control lines constructed during suppression efforts.  Rehab efforts include pulling back berms and debris accumulations created by dozer activity.  Rehab will also assist in reducing erosion concerns, helping the land to heal more quickly following impacts of the fire.  Plans to seed areas with native grasses will also assist with long term succession and new growth in affected areas.

The fire continues to be patrolled, and monitored daily from the air.  Yesterday, some areas were noted with moderate fire behavior within the interior of the fire with some single tree torching.

Team Safety Officer George Pozzuto suggested reminding anyone entering the fire closure area that it should be for official business, and all personal protective clothing (nomex and hard hats) should be worn.  This is not the time to become complacent as the fire area is still hazardous with unstable trees, damaged roads, fire traffic and missing signs.  At this time, the general public is not allowed in the closure area due to safety concerns.

More information on a revised closure area (allowing limited areas of additional access) will be available soon. The current fire area closure will be in effect until that time.

Thanks to the community of Seeley Lake for your ongoing support during this incident. 

JOCKO LAKES FIRE STATUS: Yesterday, crews gridded and patrolled along the western perimeter.  An unlined portion of that perimeter continues to be checked with helicopter water bucket drops due to firefighter safety concerns.  Rehabilitation of interior dozer lines continued using two rehab groups.  Some residual heat remains in the interior portions of the fire.  Full containment of the fire is expected October 1, 2007.

FIRE FACTS: Started: August 3, 2007; Cause: Lightning; Location: 8 miles west of Seeley Lake; Resources: 5 hand crews, 2 helicopters, 13 engines, 4 dozers, 4 water tenders, 1 camp crew, and 178 overhead.

SAFETY CONCERNS: Steep terrain, snags, bears.

WEATHER: Upper level low pressure began moving out of southern Idaho yesterday which will keep cool and unsettled weather over the fire for midweek.  Outlook for later in the week is for a northwest flow which will bring a period of cool but mainly dry weather.

COOPERATING AGENCIES & PARTNERS:  Montana DNRC, The Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation, Lolo NF, Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, Seeley Lake Fire Department, Missoula Rural Fire, Missoula County, Montana Dept of Transportation, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Bureau of Indian Affairs Tribal Game Wardens.

Editor’s note: As part of our fire coverage, NewWest.Net is posting here the email updates and press releases we get directly from fire camps as we get them. These do not replace our ongoing full coverage of the fires at www.newwest.net/fire, but supplement the information you get throughout the day with the updates we get throughout the day. We aim to give you all the information we get and here it is in its “unfiltered” form. For full stories, check back often at www.newwest.net/fire and continue to look for these updates from fire camps in the link box on the right-hand side of the page.

Rock Creek residents are still under a 24-hour pre-evacuation notice.  Rock Creek Road is closed to non-residents from Mile Marker 1 to the intersection with County Road 348.

Rock Creek Road is open to residents, from Mile Marker 12 to Trout Haven/Miller Flats (approximately Mile Marker 20).  However, this section of road is subject to various restrictions or closure without notice depending on fire activity.

Complex Wide: Fire activity was quiet today due to the precipitation received on Tuesday night and Wednesday. Lower temperatures also contributed to reduced activity; acres increased by 83.  There was no Infrared Flight last night due to cloud cover.

Fisher Point Fire (14,997 acres, date of origin 7/28/07) Fire activity was minimal Wednesday. Fire personnel will continue mop-up hot areas along the perimeter near Upper Willow Creek Road. The fire has not crossed Chico Gulch.  Some helicopter bucket work continued.

Wyman 2 Fire (35,348 acres, date of origin 7/29/07) continued with minimal activity. The fire continued burning north of Skalkaho Pass Wednesday afternoon.  The Helena Hotshots were brought in to work on line construction.  Crews will continue to monitor and patrol along Rock Creek and the lower part of Stony Creek. 

Sawmill Fire (11,811 acres, date of origin 7/15/07) was relatively quiet. Crews continued to monitor and patrol west of Rock Creek.

Sawmill Complex Statistics at a Glance:

* Date Complex Formed:  July 31, 2007
* Location: 22 miles southeast of Missoula MT
* Cause: Lightning
* Fuels: Timber, litter, and grass
* Size: 62,449 acres
* Containment: 24 %
* Cost:  $17,900,000
* Resources:  Crews - 4; Helicopters - 4; Engines - 15; Personnel - 313

In discussions with the three forests, there is agreement that complexity for this incident remains at the Type 2 level. Tom Heintz’s Type 2 Team will be replacing Don Angell’s team on Saturday. 

The Montana National Guard is assisting with road blocks and security efforts.  Fire Passes are being issued at road blocks to residents affected by the closure.  To obtain a pass, residents need to provide proof of residency.

The Skalkaho Road is not currently being affected by these closures. 

Due to water conditions and fire operations, Rock Creek is closed to fishing from the Skalkaho Highway Bridge to the Clark Fork River. 

The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest has closed portions of the Goose Gulch Rd. #4325, Otter Creek Rd. #8419, Miners Gulch Rd. #5156, and Upper Willow Creek Rd. (Granite County) #88. These roads are closed to all motorized vehicles, foot, bicycle, and horse activities for public safety due to fire activity. 

The Bitterroot National Forest has closed Trail #313 (Sapphire Divide) from the Skalkaho road to Sawmill Saddle.

Attention Hunters: Additional sections of the Lolo, Beaverhead-Deerlodge, and Bitterrroot National Forest have been closed due to the current fire activity. Please check the National Forests’ websites for the most up-to-date closures before proceeding to traditional hunting spots.

Lolo NF: http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/lolo/

Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF: http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/b-d/

Bitterroot NF: http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/bitterroot/

Editor’s note: As part of our fire coverage, NewWest.Net is posting here the email updates and press releases we get directly from fire camps as we get them. These do not replace our ongoing full coverage of the fires at www.newwest.net/fire, but supplement the information you get throughout the day with the updates we get throughout the day. We aim to give you all the information we get and here it is in its “unfiltered” form. For full stories, check back often at www.newwest.net/fire and continue to look for these updates from fire camps in the link box on the right-hand side of the page.

Fire activity was minimal yesterday and no aircraft were needed to suppress the fire. Crews did place hose line on some portions of the fire perimeter to douse hot spots and respond to spotting as needed. Cooler temperatures are expected to aid firefighters over the next several days.

The fire is near the Quartz Flat Campground off of Interstate 90, about 25 miles southeast of St. Regis. There are no structures threatened by the fire and a Type III organization from the Lolo National Forest is managing the fire. Traffic on Interstate 90 is not restricted because of the fire, though the Forest Grove boat launch near interstate 90 is closed for public safety.

Resources currently on the fire include:
Four crews (including two Type I crews)
Two dozers
Seven engines

Editor’s note: As part of our fire coverage, NewWest.Net is posting here the email updates and press releases we get directly from fire camps as we get them. These do not replace our ongoing full coverage of the fires at www.newwest.net/fire, but supplement the information you get throughout the day with the updates we get throughout the day. We aim to give you all the information we get and here it is in its “unfiltered” form. For full stories, check back often at www.newwest.net/fire and continue to look for these updates from fire camps in the link box on the right-hand side of the page.

36,060 acres
95% contained
$27,506,023 costs
310 personnel

WHAT’S NEW & EVENTS: Incident Commander Mike Wiederhold (Type 3 team) assumed command of the fire at 0700 today, transitioning with the Pacific Northwest National Incident Management Team 2.  By the end of today approximately 140 personnel will be assigned to the incident.

A public meeting was held Tuesday evening at Seeley Lake Elementary School .  Over 70 local residents attended. The meeting included a fire update, questions and answers and an opportunity to meet the new incident commander. 

More information on a revised closure area (allowing limited areas of additional access) will be available soon. The current fire area closure will be in effect until that time.

The community expressed interest in a tour of the fire area.  It was announced that a tour will be scheduled for Sunday September 16th at 1pm.  Interested persons are to meet at the Valley Market parking lot for car pooling.  More information will be available about this tour as planning progresses.

A huge thanks to the community of Seeley Lake for your ongoing support during this incident. 

JOCKO LAKES FIRE STATUS: Yesterday, crews gridded and patrolled along the western perimeter.  An unlined portion of that perimeter will be checked with helicopter water bucket drops due to firefighter safety concerns.  Rehabilitation of interior dozer lines continued using two rehab groups.  Some residual heat remains in the interior portions of the fire. The heavier fuels will continue to smolder for some time but do not pose a threat to the containment lines.  The Temporary Flight Restriction over the fire area was released at midnight 9/4/2007.

Expected full containment of the fire is October 1, 2007.

FIRE FACTS: Started: August 3, 2007; Cause: Lightning; Location: 8 miles west of Seeley Lake; Resources: 5 hand crews, 2 helicopters, 13 engines, 4 dozers, 4 water tenders, 1 camp crew, and 178 overhead.

SAFETY CONCERNS: Steep terrain, snags, bears.

WEATHER: Upper level low pressure will begin moving out of southern Idaho early today which will keep cool and unsettled weather over the fire for Wednesday.  Outlook for later in the week is for a northwest flow which will bring a period of cool but mainly dry weather.

COOPERATING AGENCIES & PARTNERS:  Montana DNRC, The Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation, Lolo NF, Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, Seeley Lake Fire Department, Missoula Rural Fire, Missoula County, Montana Dept of Transportation, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Bureau of Indian Affairs Tribal Game Wardens.

Editor’s note: As part of our fire coverage, NewWest.Net is posting here the email updates and press releases we get directly from fire camps as we get them. These do not replace our ongoing full coverage of the fires at www.newwest.net/fire, but supplement the information you get throughout the day with the updates we get throughout the day. We aim to give you all the information we get and here it is in its “unfiltered” form. For full stories, check back often at www.newwest.net/fire and continue to look for these updates from fire camps in the link box on the right-hand side of the page.